FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Print E-mail


 

Should I deadhead my daylilies?

 

Deadheading is typically done for several reasons in the perennial garden; it makes a bed look neater, to produce a second bloom, or to prevent excessive reseeding of the mother plant. Deadheading is the removal of spent flower blossoms. If you would like to encourage your plants to rebloom, some varieties may respond to the added attention. Newer varieties which tend to hold onto their blossoms may benefit from deadheading for rebloom or appearance in the garden. Older, dormant type varieties tend to drop their own flower blossoms, requiring less maintenance. Daylilies do not produce plants by reseeding in your garden bed; therefore it is not a concern.

 

What do I do about the scapes when my daylily is finished blooming?

 

Go right ahead and cut the scapes at the base of the plant. Or pull the scapes out in the fall when they have dried up. It depends on the amount of time you have and your tolerance for tidiness.

 

Fall Care and maintenance, do I need to cut back the foliage?

 

Daylilies and your perennial garden will benefit from cutting back the spent foliage in the fall. As your daylilies die back, cut the foliage back allowing the fall blooming plants to shine. Remove dead foliage and compost. Keeping your garden clean of dead debris over the winter helps to keep potential pests and problems from occurring. Mulching can be done to help prevent weed growth and protect the crowns of your plants. Do not mulch until the ground is frozen and remove in the early spring before your plants wake up. Straw, leaves, compost all make good choices. A four to six inch layer is all that is necessary to prevent cold damage.

 

Spring Care and maintenance, helpful hints.

 

If you didn’t get a chance to clean up your gardens in the fall, now is the time. Once the crocuses are past and the daffodils and tulips are emerging rake up all the dead debris in your daylily bed, weed any intruders and mulch lightly (3” maximum in a new bed, an 1” in an established bed). As the season progresses the daylily plants will keep weeds to a minimum as they shade out the sun.

 

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